Mechanical tissue sample holder indexing device

Abstract

A biopsy device comprises a probe assembly, a holster assembly, a tissue sample holder, and a manually operated rotation mechanism configured to rotate the tissue sample holder. The probe assembly comprises a cutter configured to sever a tissue sample. The tissue sample holder includes a plurality of tissue chambers configured to receive discrete severed tissue samples. The holster assembly comprises the non-motorized, manually operated rotation mechanism configured to allow a user to align consecutive chambers to successively collect discrete severed tissue samples. The tissue sample holder rotation mechanism may comprise a first button, a first lever, a first pawl, a first ratchet, an indexing shaft, and a first gear, which are all configured to, ultimately, rotate a tissue sample holder. The tissue sample holder rotation mechanism may alternately include thumbwheels, a worm gear, or a ratcheting lever, among other things.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A biopsy device comprising:
 (a) a body; 
 (b) a needle extending distally from the body, wherein the needle is rotatable relative to the body; 
 (c) a cutter translatable relative to the needle, wherein the cutter is configured to sever a tissue sample; 
 (d) a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is configured to receive the tissue sample severed by the cutter; and 
 (e) a manually operated rotation mechanism configured to rotate the tissue sample holder relative to the body such that rotation of the tissue sample holder is independent of the rotation of the needle, wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism includes one or more actuators that are exposed relative to the body distal of the tissue sample holder, wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is responsive to the one or more actuators to convert lateral movement of the one or more actuators into rotation of the tissue sample holder about a longitudinal axis defined by the tissue sample holder. 
 
     
     
       2. The biopsy device of  claim 1  further comprising a second manually operated rotation mechanism configured to rotate the needle. 
     
     
       3. The biopsy device of  claim 2 , wherein the second manually operated rotation mechanism comprises a thumbwheel configured to extend through the body such that the thumbwheel is exposed relative to the body. 
     
     
       4. The biopsy device of  claim 3 , wherein the second manually operated rotation mechanism further comprises a second thumbwheel distal of the body. 
     
     
       5. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the needle comprises a lateral tissue receiving opening configured to receive tissue. 
     
     
       6. The biopsy device of  claim 5  further comprising a graphical interface configured to display the orientation of the lateral tissue receiving opening of the needle. 
     
     
       7. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample holder comprises a plurality of discrete tissue sample chambers. 
     
     
       8. The biopsy device of  claim 7 , wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to index a chamber of the plurality of discrete tissue sample chambers to align the chamber with the cutter. 
     
     
       9. The biopsy device of  claim 8 , wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to advance the tissue sample holder by one chamber. 
     
     
       10. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in a first direction and a second direction opposite of the first direction. 
     
     
       11. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in a first direction, wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism comprises a rotation restriction assembly, wherein the rotation restriction assembly is configured to prevent the tissue sample holder from rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
       12. The biopsy device of  claim 11 , wherein the rotation restriction assembly comprises a pawl and a resilient member. 
     
     
       13. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actuators of the manually operated rotation mechanism comprises a first actuator positioned on a side of the body and a second actuator positioned on an opposing side of the body. 
     
     
       14. The biopsy device of  claim 13 , wherein the first actuator is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in a first direction, wherein the second actuator is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in a second direction opposite of the first direction. 
     
     
       15. The biopsy device of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second actuator are both configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in a first direction and a second direction opposite of the first direction. 
     
     
       16. The biopsy device of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second actuators comprise a first and second thumbwheel. 
     
     
       17. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to provide at least one of tactile feedback and audible feedback in response to rotation of the tissue sample holder. 
     
     
       18. The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample holder comprises a plurality of discrete tissue sample chambers, wherein the needle is configured to rotate between a plurality of o'clock positions, wherein the manually operated rotation mechanism is configured to index a tissue sample chamber relative to an o'clock position of the needle. 
     
     
       19. A biopsy device comprising:
 (a) a needle comprising a lateral tissue receiving opening, wherein the needle is rotatable to position the lateral tissue receiving opening at a plurality of o'clock positions; 
 (b) a cutter translatable relative to the needle, wherein the cutter is configured to sever a tissue sample; 
 (c) a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is configured to receive the tissue sample severed by the cutter, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable about a longitudinal axis defined by the tissue sample holder; 
 (d) a first actuator configured to manually rotate the tissue sample holder in a first direction; 
 (e) a second actuator configured to manually rotate the tissue sample holder in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and 
 (f) an actuation assembly comprising a first shaft and a second shaft, wherein the first shaft and the second shaft are together configured to communicate motion of the first actuator and the second actuator to the tissue sample holder.